Attorney general fines three dozen north country contractors for home improvement violations

Three dozen contractors from Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties have been fined for violating state law on home improvement contracts, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced Thursday.

The north country contractors were among 211 statewide that signed agreements to end unlawful conduct, an attorney generals news release stated. An investigation by the office revealed a range of violations, such as failure to provide written contracts and to honor consumers work agreements. Contractors paid penalties of up to $1,500.

Far too often, homeowners hire contractors without having signed documents stating what work will be done and how long it will take, Mr. Schneiderman said in a release. And time and again, consumers end up with much larger bills than expected, or with projects that were never started or completed. They need to know their rights, and home improvement contractors must obey the law. My office will continue fighting to protect consumers hard-earned dollars and ensure that bad contractors are held accountable.

The contractors all agreed to complete construction work using valid contracts. They also agreed to place all advance deposits in a customer account at local banking institutions. The contractors were accused of violating Article 36-A of General Business Law, which requires them to provide consumers with written contracts signed by both parties before projects start.